The second race of Formulation 1’s 2026 period in Shanghai provided extra clues, extra leisure and extra heartbreak, that includes a first-time winner and a black eye for the reigning world champions.
1. Toto Wolff’s Antonelli guess pays off large – Filip Cleeren
Toto Wolff has not wasted a chance to hit again at early critics of his assured transfer to advertise 18-year-old to a race seat final season, one 12 months forward of schedule. And the Austrian has been completely vindicated. The younger Italian realized a number of classes the arduous manner in 2025, however did so whereas wasn’t preventing for championships and is cashing in that data and expertise when it’s.
Commercial
Issues might have been totally different with out Russell’s Q3 downside, however Antonelli did not put a wheel improper to seize pole, reclaim the lead from the fast-starting Ferraris after which break clear into clear air when he might. A lock-up within the hairpin within the closing levels apart, some of the mature teenage drives we have now seen since ‘s early years has been rewarded with a maiden grand prix win.
Kimi Antonelli grew to become F1’s youngest-ever polesitter on his technique to a maiden grand prix win.
Kimi Antonelli grew to become F1’s youngest-ever polesitter on his technique to a maiden grand prix win.
2. Disastrous Sunday for McLaren – Oleg Karpov
Enjoyable reality: has accomplished zero racing laps within the two grands prix of the season to date. He did handle to efficiently navigate his technique to the grid this time, however then the staff rolled his automotive again from it to the storage simply minutes earlier than the formation lap was resulting from begin. His team-mate, , had already been caught there for about an hour, after recognized {an electrical} downside together with his automotive.
Commercial
Neither situation was resolved in time for the race begin, so Norris and Piastri needed to become their staff jackets and go converse to the media. “It has been a very long time since I watched two frands prix aces in a row on TV,” stated the Australian.
Plainly not solely does McLaren not but totally perceive exploit the Mercedes engine, however maybe there’s something else happening too. In any case, after two weekends of the season, it is already wanting like it should be tough for the Woking squad to defend their titles.
Learn Additionally:
Commercial
Talking of cashing in bets, started the season with appreciable expectations after successfully devoting all of 2025 to its bid to capitalise on the main regulation adjustments. And after an off-the-pace begin in Australia, this weekend confirmed that the staff is shifting in the fitting route.
was on the tempo from the outset and certified seventh in each qualifying classes in China. He was unable to carry onto a factors place in Saturday’s race, however on Sunday he delivered a tidy drive to complete sixth and safe Alpine’s second factors end within the opening two grands prix of the season.
Commercial
endured a tough begin to the weekend in Shanghai, however bounced again on Saturday with a stable qualifying efficiency that left him simply 5 thousandths wanting Q3, earlier than rising as one of many standout performers in Sunday’s race.
A combative Colapinto maintained a aggressive tempo regardless of working on older tyres than his direct rivals and held onto a spot inside the highest 5 for a number of laps, surviving a lunge from to lastly seize his first level for Alpine, and his first factors end since Austin 2024.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
4. Pink Bull hasn’t mounted it begins, however has even greater points
Max Verstappen’s worst fears got here true when Pink Bull wasn’t in a position to repair its begin points that dropped him like a brick within the dash race. Sunday’s grand prix begin was a carbon copy. As hanging as that situation is, the larger downside is Pink Bull’s automotive is proving very arduous to set-up accurately and subsequently additionally robust to drive, with Verstappen lamenting a horrible automotive steadiness all weekend. ‘s weird spin within the race was additionally revealing.
Commercial
McLaren’s disastrous double DNS papered over the truth that Pink Bull was emphatically F1’s fourth-fastest staff in Shanghai and it’s going through a steep improvement curve on all fronts to get on par with its front-running friends. China definitely will not have helped Verstappen get pleasure from these F1 2026 rules any extra.
5. ‘No’ progress, ‘no’ tempo – no hope for Aston Martin? – Oleg Karpov
‘s post-qualifying interview was fairly telling — despite the fact that he did not say a lot, the brevity of his responses to questions on Aston Martin’s progress since Melbourne’s opening spherical stated greater than a thousand phrases. The Canadian met three questions in a row with “no” and a sarcastic smile. One week isn’t sufficient time to resolve all the problems that his father’s staff is going through this 12 months, and it is unclear whether or not a few months can be both. It is most likely finest to not ask Lance once more…
Commercial
On a optimistic word, the staff managed to finish the entire dash race distance with each vehicles, however that is about the one factor they will brag about. Honda’s energy unit remains to be not adequate and, till the Japanese engineers repair it, we can’t understand how good Adrian Newey’s chassis is. It has been a tricky begin for Aston in 2026, and it is not going to get any simpler any time quickly.
Learn Additionally:
To learn extra Motorsport.com articles .
